Work on EU-funded projects under way in Dir

Community-based organisations get Rs110m

DIR: Senior Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Inayatullah Khan Saturday said that financial assistance of the European Union amounting to 64 million euros was being used for development work in the seven districts of Malakand division.

He was addressing a ceremony to distribute cheques under the EU-funded Community-Driven Local Development (CDLD) policy. The project has been delayed for a year because of various official reasons.

The minister distributed the cheques for Rs110 million among the community-based organisations (CBOs) for 74 development schemes in Dir town and Barawal.

Inayatullah Khan was chief guest on the occasion. District nazim Sahibzada Fasihullah, Deputy Commissioner Zakaullah Khattak, MPA Sahibzada Sanaullah, Programme Manager CDLD Khalid Hussain and regional manager of Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) Noor Ajab Khan, tehsil and district council members and others attended the ceremony.

Inayatullah said the project was aimed at providing an opportunity to communities to use their funds for uplift work in their respective areas.

District Nazim Sahibzada Fasihullah urged the heads of CBO projects to accomplish the development projects in accordance with the rules of the organisation.

“I would support the project as it is my dream to make Dir a model district,” he added.

The project is a good example of public private partnership. The European Union has supported the community development strategy and provided budgetary support for it.

“SRSP undertakes the mobilisation of communities and ensures that the beneficiary organisations are broad-based, inclusive and democratic and help the communities in designing the projects while the government supervises construction and releases payments,” said Noor Ajab.